There is a growing trend among humans to have pets at home. The good-looking dogs turn into pets. They get good food, but at what cost? The cost of their freedom to move around. It's convenient for both the pets and their owners. Pets are satisfied with the food, and owners want controlled relationships. Where expectations are limited to food, and when they are done with the entertainment, they will either sell off the pet or set it free. We often listen to the story of a parrot in a golden cage. Parrot used to speak very pure mantras and therefore got the attention of the king. The king put the bird inside a golden cage. The bird loved his freedom more than the golden cage and the appreciation of the people. Unable to find a way out, he requested an enlightened person for some way out. The enlightened person told him to pretend as if he had died. When the bird pretended to have died, the king ordered the cage to be opened since the dead body was of no use. As soon as the cage was opened, the parrot flew.
We often sell our freedom at a very cheap price. Some sell their freedom for food, while some sell their freedom for social validation. The rich people know it very well, and that's why they exploit the poor by taking away their freedom for just a few coins. Knowing very well the compulsion of an empty stomach, they want that rich-poor divide to widen. They advertise their products quite aggressively to add to the fire in the belly. They just want to ensure that the hand-to-mouth people do not find any way out to move away from this cycle of slavery.
Similarly, people get entertained listening to the sweet voice of the parrot. They want the parrot to stay inside the cage so that they can get constant entertainment. Nobody is bothered about the like or dislike of the parrot. Parents praise the child because he secured admission to a good college, which can be claimed as a trophy and an achievement by the parents. Parents want their kids to marry, not because their kids get a companion, but because they can boast that marriage functions in society, and they can get their grandkids and die with a feeling of continuation of their lineage. Nobody is bothered by what the parrot wants. In most cases, the parrot is also happy with the golden cage and words of appreciation. But if the parrot loves his freedom, then he has to pretend to die. So long as there is a use case left for the parrot, nobody will open the gate of the cage. Even if the gate is open, the parrot would not like to fly because he has become addicted to that appreciation and the food.
If we want to fly, we need to be lightweight. But we cling to the material possessions and compromise our ability to fly. We get so attached to our home and wealth that many of our plans to move around get compromised to just take care of the home and the wealth. We somehow get tied to the strings of social norms and start playing to the script written by society, just like puppets. It's easy to be just a puppet and dance to the tune of the music that society plays. There is no effort required. Society has decided norms for almost everything, and we just have to shut our minds and keep doing what others are doing. But do we realize that in the process, we turn into puppets and do away with our freedom?
Freedom has a cost. Flying freely like a bird is not easy. It requires lightening our bodies and shedding the weight of possessions. It also necessitates releasing psychological burdens such as the need for social validation and adherence to social norms. However, once someone experiences true freedom, they would never relinquish it at any cost. Socrates flew freely, which is why he willingly chose death over slavery. Meera opted to drink poison rather than live apart from her love. As we connect with our inner selves, the allure of a golden cage, lavish food, material possessions, and the comfort of attachments all diminish in value. As children grow, they detach from their toys and friendships. They do not compromise their education to remain with friends. Similarly, as we become more aware, we see that the golden cage may appear appealing, but we have gained enough wisdom to avoid it. We choose to remain free and continue to fly. Freedom comes with a price, but for a free mind, freedom is priceless.
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